Unitary hinged plastic protector for opened shelf-storage type boxes

ABSTRACT

A one-piece plastic box top for pantry-type food boxes and the like, comprising top, two sides, and two ends, with one entire end pivoted on a unitary hinge to open downward providing complete clearance for contents of a box to be poured without touching the box top, and with the other end of the box top sealed to the sides to position them, assuring a tight fit; means are provided to hold the hinged door in the open position and in the closed position.

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,733,022 Kapiloff 1451 May 15, 1973 [541UNITARY HINGED PLASTIC 2,805,812 9/1957 Seaton ..229 43 R T R F R OPENEDH 3,263,895 8/l966 Young ..229/43 x STORAGE TYPE BOXES FOREIGN PATENTSOR APPLICATIONS [76] lnventor: Anita L. Kapilofl, 2845 McGill l 319 370[1963 F 220 o /31s Terrace washlrgton 1,364,781 5/1963 ..220 31s [22]Filed: Apr. 16, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 134,709

[52] US. Cl. ..229/7 R, 229/44 R [51] Int. Cl. ..B65d 43/16 [58] Fieldof Search ..229/7 R, 43, 44 R; 220/3] S; 222/556 [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 3,412,890 ll/l968 Rich ..220/31 S X 3,265,2828/1966 Maxwell ..229/7 R 3,033,435 5/1962 Forrer ..229/7 R PrimaryExaminer-Donald F. Norton Atz0rney.lohn F. McClellan, Sr.

57 ABSTRACT A one-piece plastic box top for pantry-type food boxes andthe like, comprising top, two sides, and two ends, with one entire endpivoted on a unitary hinge to open downward providing complete clearancefor contents of a box to be poured without touching the box top, andwith the other end of the box top sealed to the sides to position them,assuring a tight fit; means are provided to hold the hinged door in theopen position and in the closed position.

2 Clairns, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEW 5W5 3 733 O22 SHEET 1 BF 2INVENTOE A NITA L. KAPILOFF ATTORNEY PATENTED 3,733,022

SHEET 2 BF 2 END b C TOP SIDE END SIDE L l c a L c J FIG 3 INVENTOP ANIJA L. KAPILOFF ATTOPNEY UNITARY HINGED PLASTIC PROTECTOR FOR OPENEDSHELF-STORAGE TYPE BOXES This application is related to my copendingapplication for United States Patent entitled BOX-SOX SYS- TEM FORPROTECTING CONTENTS OF OPENED BOXES, Ser. No. 103,522, filed Jan. 4,1971, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,692,230.

My co-pending application discloses a novel two-part BOX-SOX which isadjustable to fit a variety of sizes so as to seal the contents ofopened food packages, and the like, tightly to prevent adulteration,deterioration, or spillage. l

The present application provided a top closure for the same purposeswhich is not adjustable, but which is compensated for by havingextremely simplified, efficient structure which can be produced with anabsolute minimum of materialcost and fabrication. This is a unitary,deep skirt structure with no loose or sliding parts. These features makethe novel top closure of this application so suitable for massproduction that it can economically be supplied as part of the originalpackage sale of many products such as pancake mixes, cereals,Confectioners sugar, and soap products, to name a few already fitted tothe package purchased.

In this embodiment the invention is in keeping with present day trendstoward bright, attractive household aids which are ever new and cleanbecause they are disposed of and replaced after a short period of use.

In another embodiment the invention is of more permanent nature, so thathousewives, restauranteurs, and others can at modest cost purchase attheir food stores and supply houses matched sets of the covers which aresized to fit the most often used packages.

The invention is structurally characterized by five flat plates ofplastic, four of which are integrally joined at the edges to form a topwith downwardly directed sides, and end, and the fifth of which isintegrally joined to the top but not the sides, forming a hinged dooradapted to close the open end tightly. When the cover is in place on abox having an opening under the door, the door is swung upward, forminga downward opening for dispensing the contents of the box.

Other of the novel advantages and objects of this invention will appearmore clearly on examination of the following description taken inconjunction with the drawings In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of the invention in use, protecting a box;

FIG. 2 is a perspective of the FIG. 1 embodiment, showing the underside;and

FIG. 3 is a plan for a pattern of an alternative embodiment of theinvention.

Taking up FIGS. 1 and 2 in detail, FIG. I illustrates a box cover I madeaccording to principles of the invention, in place protectingthc openedupper end E of a box B.

As better shown in FIG. 2, the cover is made up of a top 12, two sidesl4, 16, which depend from the top as integral parts, a fixed end closure18 connecting the sides and top at one end, and a hinged end closure 20integral with the top 12 along one edge.

The hinged end closure is adapted to engage the adjacent ends 22, 24 ofthe sides to make effectively sealed joints when the hinged closure isshut.This structure is adapted to cover openings in the upper end of thebox E, as well as in the sides and the top itself.

The fixed end 18 braces and holds together one end of the sides, and,when the hinged closure is shut, it braces and holds together the otherend of the sides. This arrangement makes a very tight and secure seal onthe box, even though the sides may be of thin, flexible plastic. Whenthe end closure is open, the cover is held in place by friction at thefixed end and by the fact that the fixed end is always uppermost whencontents are poured from a box protected by the device.

A special provision of the invention in the form of recesses 26, 28 inthe outer surfaces of the sides which receive respective inwardlyprotruding flanges 30, 32 on the edges of the end closure, furthersecures the seal made on closing.

The recesses and mating flanges extend substantially the length of theend closure and co-extensive edges of the sides.

Material for the device is critical to the extent that the hinge 32 is,for economy and tight sealing, a unitary part of the top and endclosure, and for that reason must be flexible. The hinge comprises thatpart of the structure which lies between that flat top 12, which isbraced by the down turned flat sides l4, l6 and the flat end closure 20,which is braced by the flanges 30, 32.

Polyethylene is cheap, relatively durable, and can be bent repeatedly,and the device in very economical embodiment can be made of thismaterial.

Polypropylene is a more durable plastic, especially adapted to providealmost unlimited numbers of bends at hinge joints.

Where the covers are not to be supplied with, and discarded with, theoriginal package protected, the more durable may be preferable.

In either case, a matched set in the most commonly used sizes can bepackaged and retailed at a low enough price to be very attractive tohousewives.

It should be noted that not only does this invention intercept dust,liquid spills, and contaminating particles of various kinds which mightotherwise enter the tops of opened boxes, but also, the opened-endclosure acts as a shield during pouring. Material which may be presenton and tend to fall from the top of the closure during pouring isshunted away from the poured contents by the angled face of the openedend closure.

FIG. 3, a pattern, shows the design simplicity of cover in which theequality of dimensions is indicated by a, a; b, b and c, c.

Although the cover is purposefully ideally adapted for injectionmolding, an embodiment can be made by stamping out patterns as in FIG.3, folding on the fold lines, and thermal-welding the two seams betweenthe top and sides.

Lastly, an important provision of the invention appears best in FIG. 1.Even though, unlike my prior invention, the present cover is left inplace when the contents are poured from boxes, there need be no contactbetween the food and the cover. There is no cover structure below theopening E, and for this reason plastics which might otherwise beunsuited for this application because of certification problems, can beused, without need for certification.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present inventionare possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by U. S. Letters Patent is:

l. A protector for opened tops of shelf-storage type food boxes and thelike, comprising: a unitary structure of flexible plastic materialhaving a flat top, parallel fiat sides integrally dependant fromopposite edges of the flat top, a fixed flat closure member integralwith one end of the top and sides for closing one end of the protector,and a hinged flat closure member integral along the top edge with theother end of the top and adapted for engaging adjacent ends of theparallel flat sides for thereby closing the other end of the protector,said adaptation comprising: the parallel flat sides having meansintegral with said adjacent ends of the parallel flat sides for sealingagainst respective edges of the hinged flat closure member, the edges ofthe parallel flat sides and of the hinged flat closure member beingadjacently co-extensive, with said sealing means extending alongsubstantially the entire said ends of the parallel flat sides, and saidsealing means comprising exterior faces having recesses along the endsof the parallel flat sides and inwardly protruding flanges on the hingedclosure member adapted to engage the said recessed exterior faces of theparallel flat sides.

2. A protector as recited in claim 1 wherein said adjacent ends of theparallel flat sides are joined only by said flat top when the hingedflat closure is in the open position, thereby preventing material pouredfrom a said protected box from contacting the protector.

1. A protector for opened tops of shelf-storage type food boxes and thelike, comprising: a unitary structure of flexible plastic materialhaving a flat top, parallel flat sides integrally dependant fromopposite edges of the flat top, a fixed flat closure member integralwith one end of the top and sides for closing one end of the protector,and a hinged flat closure member integral along the top edge with theother end of the top and adapted for engaging adjacent ends of theparallel flat sides for thereby closing the other end of the protector,said adaptation comprising: the parallel flat sides having meansintegral with said adjacent ends of the parallel flat sides for sealingagainst respective edges of the hinged flat closure member, the edges ofthe parallel flat sides and of the hinged flat closure member beingadjacently co-extensive, with said sealing means extending alongsubstantially the entire said ends of the parallel flat sides, and saidsealing means comprising exterior faces having recesses along the endsof the parallel flat sides and inwardly protruding flanges on the hingedclosure member adapted to engage the said recessed exterior faces of theparallel flat sides.
 2. A protector as recited in claim 1 wherein saidadjacent ends of the parallel flat sides are joined only by said flattop when the hinged flat closure is in the open position, therebypreventing material poured from a said protected box from contacting theprotector.